A Story
by WhiteRoseBlossom
Summary: A pathway... an attack... a sacrifice.


Echoes of that moment still sear through your mind. The sights, the smells, the feels... The noise. The noise that would change everything. You were certain you were going to die. Everything had gone wrong._ Everything._

Dinner had lasted longer than expected. The night fell. Shadows from streetlights rose. The frigid air surrounding you. A sideways glance at the alley. The parking lot had been so crowded before, your car so far away. Another glance. The alley. A shortcut._ Ha_. A simple shortcut. A different way. Your way. You had chosen it. You had earned it.

Shuffling along, braced to the wind, retreating into your thick coat. Oblivious to your surroundings. Oblivious to truth, to eminence, to reality. A little ways farther. What was that? A noise? The wind. A little ways farther. You keep shuffling. _Again._ Just the wind. You keep on.

Then reality strikes. Your bag hits the ice. Your back slams the wall. Your breath catches. Your knees buckle. All begins to blur to drifting crystals and black haze. Something shines. Something shines... Something moves. Then the noise.

You don't feel anything. Nothing. Numbed. You start to fade, but you catch a glimpse. You see another face. _His_ face. And crimson. White. Black. Silver shine. Crimson. _Everything_ fades.

You wake to sirens. Your head throbs where it slammed the wall. You touch it. You feel. You know you've been shot. Where? You start to shift, numb. You look down. White snow. Blackness still threatening. Silver shine now discarded in the ice. And that's it. No crimson. Dazed, you glance around, across. The walls. The snow. The gun. His face. _His _face. His face, but not his eyes. Shut to the world. Slumped in the ice.

Add crimson.

A dullness. An awakening. A scream choked in your throat. _His_ blood! You start to cry, to struggle, to stumble... a scream choked back. Pounding footsteps. Crunching ice. A firm hand reaches for you. You're okay. Settle down. Stay still. Stay calm. We're here to help. You're okay. Another scream. You push the hand away. You're not okay. He's dead! The bullet meant for you, and he's dead! You struggle. Darkness wins. You fade. Sleep?

You wake. Monitors beep. Lights flicker. Tubes entangle. A friendly smile. A gentle hand. An explanation you already knew. He's dead.

You chose an alley. Someone attacked. He took the bullet.

He's dead. You're fine. He's dying. You're released from the hospital. Minor abrasions. Minor bruises. Minor concussion. Minor _everything._ He's dying. For three days... the coma, the agony.

And then the miracle.

_He_ wakes. Scarred, but alive. So alive, so you're told. You can't believe it. Not until you see it. Until you see him. The blood. Oh the blood! You rush to the hospital, almost fearing to enter. But you must. He isn't there. He's gone. Of course. This is what you really knew. Then the nurse explains. He's left. He is alive. You ask where. You take the slip in your hand. Follow the address. Rush to the hotel in which he stays. Fear again, but embrace._ His_ embrace, not yours._ His._ You stare. He speaks. But why? Just love. You weep. You weep. You weep. He passes you a tissue to dry your eyes. You stutter. He calms. You talk. You ask. He talks. He asks. You answer.

He answers. He was only traveling here, on business. His home is far away. A few weeks later, you stare after the plane. Empty. Burning. Alone.

Then something changes. Purpose. Power. A power of life you didn't have before. A second chance. A time to live. To really live. You speak at conferences. Empowerment. Life. You tell your story. His story. You speak with him. Read his emails. Answer his calls. Call him up. In gratitude. For advice. Just to talk. Life.

Then things change, slowly. Life happens. Busy schedules happen. Commitments happen. Family happens. Career happens. A world happens. You sort through the incoming mail. His handwriting catches your eye. A letter. But the bills. You toss his aside. You'll read it later. He calls. You give him a moment. Rushed. Distracted. But a moment. You're _busy_, after all. His voice is weary. Sad. Distant. He's still there, but your mind is elsewhere. The soccer game. The kids. Your meeting. Dinner. _That_ dinner. He understands. Listens. You hang up. Later, a voicemail. His. He offers to take you out. To eat together. He pauses. The machine beeps. Silence. Your fingers fiddle with the phone. Your schedule... your worries... his voice.

Do you answer his call?

A story preceding. Life now:

Will you answer _His_ call?

You chose your path. Just condemnation attacked. He took the cross.  
He rose. He ascended. He empowers. He pursues relation. He saves.  
My God saves.

He calls out your name.

Will you answer?

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." ~ Romans 5:8

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." ~ Revelation 3:20

"Come near to God and he will come near to you." ~ James 4:8a

(All rights disclaimed. Feel free to copy and share in any way that will glorify Him. Blessings!)


End file.
